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He has but the Kessel deal is still a huge **** up and should deservingly be bashed

lol I'm not going to defend the Kessel deal. Burke gambled and lost and we don't even know where Boston is picking this June. Nonetheless he's done pretty damn well in every other trade and it shouldn't be ignored.

lol I'm not going to defend the Kessel deal. Burke gambled and lost and we don't even know where Boston is picking this June. Nonetheless he's done pretty damn well in every other trade and it shouldn't be ignored.

I just threw names in those open spots. Zigo likely isn't back as he should really be on an NHL team as a fourth liner. I'd actually like to see him with the Leafs instead of someone like Brent but Wilson and co seem to love the guy. Those first two lines look pretty damn nice though, all those should be NHL players. Really excited to see Frattin, this kid could be a beast.

Yeah, that looks about right^ Although Kadri will probably be up here so that might shake things up a bit. But either way, it looks to be a good team, especially the goaltending and defence. Lebda seems like someone that would do very well in the AHL, well better than NHL.

edit: And Frattin, for those who don't know. He's easily became my favorite prospect this season. I've watched him with N. Dakota this year, and followed watched highlights/read about every game. The guy is just flat out tearing it up. He's on the PK, PP and is good at both. He has a a SICK shot, such a quick release with great accuracy. Solid as hell on his feet, throws HUGE hits and isn't afraid to do work in the corners. He has scored A LOT this season, and I'm not sure on this, but I think he leads the NCAA in goal scoring. He has had numerous highlight reel goals, and got another last night. He looks like he's going to be solid and a nice 3rd-4th line guy with offensive potential. I see him being a 3rd liner who chips in 10-15 goals and 35 points. But he has potential to be a top 6 guy, just depends on how devoted he is. I can't wait to see him with the Marlies next year.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few guys, I haven't seen much of Holzer, Gysbers or Mikus but they probably deserve to be on there. Kenny Ryan is an interesting player, from what I've read/saw is that he's a great PKer with decent offensive potential. Another one of those 3rd line guys who give energy and can chip in 35 points, of course assuming they reach their potential.

edit: holy crap, outside on Reimer, none of these guys were even there 2 years ago. Nice to see Burke has added some talent.

Immediately, the euphemistic whispers were that the pivot was still learning to use his size; the implication being that he was “soft” for a big man and didn’t like to get involved. Even Burke tempered expectations at the news conference announcing the trade noting that Colborne is “not an unduly physical player. He’s not noted for that. We’re not getting him for that.”

But, if you were to interpret that as meaning Colborne is timid, you’d be mistaken. Dead wrong based on his debut with the Marlies on Saturday.

Colborne didn’t skate around pounding bodies but he dished out a few hits, skated willingly into the corners to battle for pucks, coming out with his fair share, and, where he most impressed, he stood his ground off the top of the crease during power plays, taking punishment to create havoc in the low slot.

Colborne has heard the criticism about his lack of physical play before but he has grown past it, literally. He says he’s added about 30 pounds since his draft year — the Bruins selected him 16th overall in 2008 — to get up to between 210 and 215 but he still looks like he has to fill out.

“I think it was a fair assessment of me two years ago,” he said. “But I think I’ve really started to bring the physical aspect of my game along. It’s kind of fun lately, since I’ve put on 30 pounds in the last two years probably, I’ve started to notice when I actually do finish checks guys are falling down. It’s a lot more fun that way than when you hit a guy and you’re the one falling down. Or you hit him and he just stands there. The results certainly make it better.”

Dallas Eakins, the Marlies coach, said it’s important to remember Colborne is still a prospect, but he was pleased to see that “as the game went on, he just seemed to get better and better.”

“This kid is raw. He’s big and he’s still looks like a boy. We don’t want to forget that he just turned 21. The first indications are we’ve got a very, very good player here,” he said.

Colborne showed himself to be an excellent skater, particularly for a big man, but he said that’s a relatively new development as well. Even though he took figure skating lessons as a boy and was always technically sound, a growth spurt in his teens left him feeling awkward and weak on the ice. The Calgary native believes extra power skating sessions over the last few seasons have brought him up to speed.

“I’ve been really working on my lower body strength,” he said.

Eakins said he was impressed late in the game when Colborne, already doing a good job holding the puck down low, decided to drive hard through the defence to the net.

“I think (some young, larger players) forget how big they are and what they can do with their size,” said the coach.

“On a play like that that he gains confidence knowing that, not only am I big enough to do this but I’m strong enough to take a pro defenceman to the net. That’s going to be the biggest thing with him, have him constantly moving his feet, constantly using his size because we all see he’s got the hands to do certain things.”

“I want to be a guy like Vinny Lecavalier or Eric Staal, guys that have the complete package,” he said. “That’s what I’m looking at trying to incorporate into my game.”